Rates & Valuations

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All Councils in Australia charge property rates. Rates are a "tax" on properties. They provide Council with the money that is needed to pay for a broad range of services, programs, facilities and infrastructure from parks and playgrounds to roads and immunisations.

The Horsham Rural City Council raises 4.8% of its revenue by means of rates and charges levied on rateable property. The balance of the revenue of is obtained chiefly from government grants and fees for services.

Rates are levied on each property based on its Capital Improved Value, being the total market value of the property, including land and all improvements, but not including chattels, furniture and fittings (check the related 'Valuations' page to see how capital improved valuations are determined).

In 2002/2003 the Council introduced a differential Farm Rate for farmland, being 95% of the General Rate (which until the 2002/2003 year was charged uniformly over the whole municipality). The farm differential is currently 80% of the general rate.

Farmers with multiple properties that operate as a single farm enterprise can apply for an exemption from paying more than one fixed charge. Download the form here.

Rates are therefore charged at different rates in the dollar for farms and other land. Rates on any property may be calculated by multiplying its Capital Improved Value by the applicable rate in the dollar. The rate notice for a property will show the particular rate that has been applied to that property.